This is the class blog for Eng 1102 at GA Tech called "Fiction, Human Rights, and Social Responsibility." The purpose of this blog is to extend our discussion beyond the classroom and to become aware of human rights issues that exist in the world today and how technology has played a role in either solving or aggravating them. Blogs will be a paragraph long (250 words) and students will contribute once every three weeks according to class number. Entries must be posted by Friday midnight.

Friday, February 15, 2013

Eyes in the Sky: Part II

Satellite imagery is in the news again- this time Google Earth has been praised for hosting free high-resolution satellite images of North Korean prison camps. Satellite imagery has once again proven itself it be an invaluable tool in the hands of human rights activists. Because North Korea is a very secretive and suppressive nation, it is difficult for any foreigners to get accurate information about the living condition of the citizens. The communist government claims the accusations of employing prison work camps to punish its citizens are lies, but it is very clear that this statement is untrue. New images released by Google Earth clearly show new installations of fences and guard towers along the perimeter of an already existing prison camp in the countryside. Former prisons who have managed to escape have told horror stories about the living conditions inside the prison camps. No food, shelter and 16 hour workdays are common for prisoners living in the camps. Almost no one is safe from imprisonment- the communist regime will send anyone who is deemed a threat to the camps, including the following three generations of the accused. This is the utmost heinous violation of human rights in present times- why has nothing been done about it yet? Human rights around the world activists are calling for action against the North Korean regime. What will be the tipping point? Genocide? World War 3? The future does not look good for North Korea, unless something is done about this terrible situation soon.